Anyone see the quali for Valencia? Poor Montezemolo turned up during quali, had a good walk around the pit garages, was there for a while, talking to the team and the drivers, and the ferrari drivers were 11th and 13th respectively, being Alonso's second worst qualifying performance after Australia at the beginning of the season. Poor Montezemolo looked crest fallen at the end of the second session of quali._________________He who calls for full employment calls for war!

Thank god it wasn't Vettel._________________There is, a not-born, a not-become, a not-made, a not-compounded. If that unborn, not-become, not-made, not-compounded were not, there would be no escape from this here that is born, become, made and compounded. - Gautama Siddharta

Anyone see quali? Q2 was interuptted due to rain, and EJ (who provides some commentary on the BBC feed) said it was done to benefit Ferrari, who has initially set times on intermediates, and were running out of time to run on wets._________________He who calls for full employment calls for war!

Hmm, no, lots of drivers reported non-driveable conditions at that point, even Hamilton (I think) who was placed 2nd at that time and would've just needed to wait and see, some actually complained that the red light came much too late._________________backend.cpp:92:2: warning: #warning TODO - this error message is about as useful as a cooling unit in the arctic

Heh, the brits aren't doing well. Oh well, at least they have a man in the final at Wimbledon_________________"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?" - Douglas Adams

Rain could make an interesting race with Schumacher starting from 3rd position._________________backend.cpp:92:2: warning: #warning TODO - this error message is about as useful as a cooling unit in the arctic

Rain could make an interesting race with Schumacher starting from 3rd position.

Go Schumi. $5 on his win._________________There is, a not-born, a not-become, a not-made, a not-compounded. If that unborn, not-become, not-made, not-compounded were not, there would be no escape from this here that is born, become, made and compounded. - Gautama Siddharta

So, Hamilton unlapped himself, passing Alonso and Vettel in the process. Vettel complained post race that it was dangerous, but both Horner and Whitmarsh said that it was ok, no problems.

Quote:

Sporting director Sam Michael explained that there was no problem with what Hamilton did and that the team told him to go past Vettel.
"It was completely legal," said Michael when asked by AUTOSPORT about the incident. "He came out and he was fast. We said to him that you've got blue flags for Jenson.
"When you get a blue flag, you have two choices. You let the car past, or you speed up significantly

this actually isn't quite the case

FIA regulations wrote:

During the race :

- The flag should normally be shown to a car about to be lapped and, when shown, the driver concerned must allow the following car to pass at the earliest opportunity.

- The flag should normally be shown to a car about to be lapped and, when shown, the driver concerned must allow the following car to pass at the earliest opportunity.

I think it's ok. If the car is faster, why not. Blue flags are only shown to slower cars (i.e. "about to be lapped"). Hamilton was not "about to be lapped", he was faster than Vettel! His bad position was because of a puncture, not because he was slow.

Also, Alonso is kicking ass lately. Best driver in the grid without a doubt.

- The flag should normally be shown to a car about to be lapped and, when shown, the driver concerned must allow the following car to pass at the earliest opportunity.

I think it's ok. If the car is faster, why not. Blue flags are only shown to slower cars (i.e. "about to be lapped"). Hamilton was not "about to be lapped", he was faster than Vettel! His bad position was because of a puncture, not because he was slow.

Also, Alonso is kicking ass lately. Best driver in the grid without a doubt.

those blue flags aren't spaced that far apart, and I'm sure hamilton was shown 3 blue flags in a row as he tried to pull a gap from him and Vettel.

and I don't really have a problem with it. It probably just needs to be clarified in the rules a bit. I'm sure there are many drivers that did not attempt to unlap themselves because the rules are not specific for that situation._________________He who calls for full employment calls for war!

I've seen it before. It often happens in chaotic situations (e.g. rain starting in the midst of the race)._________________backend.cpp:92:2: warning: #warning TODO - this error message is about as useful as a cooling unit in the arctic

Strange things going on in McLaren brains... they either totally destroyed Button's race or have something else in mind completely.

Räikkonen launching a surprise attack at Hamilton - looks like an exciting race until the end. _________________backend.cpp:92:2: warning: #warning TODO - this error message is about as useful as a cooling unit in the arctic

Strange things going on in McLaren brains... they either totally destroyed Button's race or have something else in mind completely.

Räikkonen launching a surprise attack at Hamilton - looks like an exciting race until the end.

The pit stop pretty much destroyed everyones races apart from Hamilton and Raikkonen_________________"Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?" - Douglas Adams

Apparently Ferrari got finally tired of the interminable string of failures of Massa after his botched start at the latest GP, very likely his contract ending this season will not be renewed._________________True ignorance is not the absence of knowledge, but the refusal to acquire it.
A posse ad esse non valet consequentia
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